1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door mountable dye dispensing device that facilitates the detection of hygienically washed hands.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the past several years, the public has become increasingly aware of the importance of hand hygiene. Studies conducted during this period have shown that there is a direct relationship between hand hygiene and the spread of common germs (such as influenza, staph aureus, salmonella, e. coli, etc.) that cause a broad range of illnesses from the common cold to more serious infectious diseases. Major health organizations, health care establishments and the health science community have implemented programs and policies, and have taken steps to encourage or facilitate improvements in hand hygiene. The American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted a resolution calling for AMA publications to urge not only professionals, but also the general public to adopt hand washing as an important personal priority. In adopting this resolution, the AMA has noted that hand washing can be the first line of defense against many infectious diseases as well as against respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders. The United States Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture and other governmental agencies have also noted the importance of hand hygiene in relation to food safety.
Various policies, procedures, practices and equipment have been developed and used to combat the transmission of germs by non-hygienic hands. Gloving is generally required in restaurants and other facilities involved in food preparation. Gloving is also required in areas of health care facilities where there is direct patient contact. Automatic hand washing systems have gained popularity in many industries including health care facilities and food service establishments. Detection devices have also been developed which sense the presence or absence of residual cleansing material on hands and provide visual or audio alarms to signal detection of any residual material.
“Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings”, a paper by John M. Boyce, M.D. and Didier Pittet, M.D., published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (51 (RR16), 1-44) by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), includes a description of measures that have been, or should be taken to improve hand hygiene, and performance indicators for ascertaining the effectiveness of these measures. Included among these measures is monitoring the volume of alcohol-based hand rub or detergent used for hand washing or hand antiseptic over a fixed period of time. These Guidelines also point out the variations in quality of hand washing, i.e., some hands are subjected to a very thorough washing with a cleansing liquid while others are minimally rinsed with a small quantity of cleansing liquid.
Hand washing measures, monitoring devices and other equipment associated with hand hygiene or its detection are relatively expensive and tend to add to the ever-increasing cost for health care. When such equipment is not available for use because of cost or other reasons, hand washing is generally accomplished by using a liquid cleansing material from a dispenser or by applying alcohol or other anti-germ solution by an alternative means. When this method is used, the quality of the washing becomes an issue because washing times, techniques and thoroughness vary from individual to individual as pointed out in the CDC Guidelines. Moreover, it is difficult or impossible to determine whether individuals have engaged in any hand washing at all.
Hand hygiene is of particular concern with regard to the use of restrooms. The importance of hand washing in conjunction with restroom use cannot be over emphasized. Notices reminding users of this importance are conspicuously posted in restrooms of health care facilities, food service establishments, places of public accommodation and the like. However, there are few acceptable means for monitoring or detecting whether a user has washed his or her hands, or the quality of such hand cleansing after restroom facility usage. In most cases, it is impractical to use automated hand washing equipment or detection devices in such settings. Moreover, legal restrictions related to privacy issues prevent the use of available inexpensive electronic surveillance equipment such as cameras for monitoring hand washing in a restroom.
Soap washable dyes as well as other chemicals which may be applied to hands either before or during hand washing, have been used to facilitate in determining the hygienic status of hands. U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,481 to Srivastava, describes the use of dyes for this purpose. A user of gloves is reminded to wash his or her hands after taking off the gloves, by using a glove having an interior surface with a hand-coloring that transfers onto the wearer's hand during use and remains on the hand after the glove is removed, in an amount sufficient so that it is visible on the hand. The colorant is removed by washing. While this invention may be useful to practitioners in health care settings, it is not applicable to users of restroom facilities since gloves are not normally worn in restroom settings.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,307,051 to Rich, discloses a color changing hand soap composition that includes a pH indicator. Hands are washed until the pH indicator changes color. The composition enables the user to determine when hand washing is sufficient based on the change in the alkalinity of the washing liquid from acidic to basic as determined by its pH. This invention is useful only during the hand washing process. There is no remaining coloration after the user's hands have been rinsed and dried. Therefore, when the user leaves the restroom facility, there is no hand coloration and thus no visible means for detecting whether the user's hands have been washed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,600 to Davis, discloses a device which reminds restroom users to wash their hands. Dye is sprayed on a user's hand when he or she uses a handle or knob to open a restroom door. A spray pump containing the dye is attached adjacent to the door handle and is activated when the handle is turned. The dye deposited on the user's hands is removed by hand washing before leaving the restroom facility. While the device facilitates the detection of hand hygiene by the use of dye, its use is problematic because of the difficulty of confining the spray to the user's hands. It is not unlikely that some dye-containing spray may be deposited on the user's clothing, the entrance door, the floor or other unintended areas. Moreover, installation and connection of a spray pump to an existing door handle could require extensive modifications to the door. Safety is also a consideration since the spray pump requires an electrical connection in a water-prevalent restroom area. Ongoing maintenance is another disadvantage because of the mechanical linkage and other moving parts associated with the pump and handle and their connection. Such arrangements are often prone to become maintenance intensive.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a means that facilitates the detection of hygienically washed hands in relation to restroom usage.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a means that facilitates the detection of the quality and thoroughness of the hygienic washing of hands in relation to restroom usage.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an efficient, reliable and inexpensive means that facilitates the detection of hygienically washed hands in relation to restroom usage.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a means that is easily installed at a restroom entrance to facilitate the detection of hygienically washed hands in relation to restroom usage.